MOST POPULAR FEATURESTop 50 Pokémon of All Time
Can you believe there are now six generations of Pokémon? Six!! That's a crazy amount of different creatures to collect. But which are the cream of the crop? Don't worry, Magikarp isn't actually one of them.

I am a PS3 owner and someday hope to be a PS4 owner, yet I am not at all dissatisfied with my choice to delay purchase, solely based on the current PS4 library. When I transitioned from a Playstation 1 to a Playstation 2, I was pleasantly surprised that I could for the most part rid myself of my PS1...

Just a quick guide for the first episode of the three to be released. I playedthis game first on the PC and what an ordeal it was to load the game. ThoughI have figured out Steam at this time, I decided to do this guide after gettingthe Orange Box and covering Episode Two. After this I plan to cover the first game as well and Portal at some point. I may make some sort of Half-Life 2 package for all the related games, but not Team Fortress 2.

*Use the Gravity Gun when you can - if you see a saw blade, that's an obviousclue to use the GG. See a lot of gas tanks and red barrels? Same story. Evena rock or normal barrel will be enough to inflict damage.

*A loaded gun is a not happy gun - sitting on a full clip of ammo in anyweapon does you no good, and you get plenty of ammo throughout.

*Don't forget to run - not just the normal stride, you also have a sprint button. It's your only way to avoid charging enemies, but don't forget to useit during normal encounters.

*Drive in bursts - the best way to drive the car is to press the gas in littlespurts. Pushing forward at full speed is just crazy.

*Play for achievements later - some can be attained during a normal run, butdon't go after the more elaborate ones until after you get through one game atleast. Don't forget you can check your achievement progress from the pause menu.

*Alyx is a B****! - really, she is a combat ally in this game, but most of thetime she will be right on your back and prevent you from backpedaling. Not tomention she will be blocking the path behind you in most situations, such as going back through a door. Just know that she's behind you.

This guide was made on the default settings. Achievements are somewhataddressed, but this is not a guide on how to get every one. Read ahead to geta better sense of what is happening. The only thing you can do is read andhopefully connect the dots with what you see on the game screen.

Picking up right where we left off.

======================Chapter 1: Undue Alarm======================

Okay, so after the very odd opening cutscene, you awake under some debris and have a bit of a scene. Pick up the Gravity Gun and follow the events that follow. When Alyx hops up, go to the right and look at the wooden boards holding up a gate. Pull down all three boards to drop the gate and get up. Goto the computer and watch and listen.

After that, Dog pulls up some wreckage from a dropship and you can crouch underto get through. Inch over the edge to find the path along the cliff. When you get to the gap, stand back, press your sprint button, and then jump across; youshould barely make it. Keep following the path, crouch under some debris, blast away a car with the GG (gravity gun), and you will hit a dead end.

Not much to do but watch where Dog goes. He goes behind somewhere and starts searching for something, so just stand back and watch out for the falling car.Then jump in and enjoy the pleasant ride.

After you step out of the van, and after it falls to oblivion, look left and go that way (straight ahead is nothing). Follow the corridor until you hit a load screen.

Move ahead and then you two will stop to look out into a canyon-like area where things look really messed up. Then hop over the rails on the left to geton track. Follow the hall and you end at a locked field with Stalkers on theother side. Alyx then sees some Roller Mines in another area and she will opena field to let you through.

Crouch down and follow the small path. You will arrive at a ledge with a ruggedlooking platform just a bit down below. You have to jump down to this platform and then quickly jump down to the right before the platform falls. Do so and then go across an active elevator to reach the mines. First, use the suit armorstation on the wall to get some hitpoints. If you'll notice, you're still alljuiced up from the first game.

Go over to the button. When you push it, the mines will drop and they will alltry to attack you. Blast a few away and make sure you grab at least one, the rest will bounce themselves away. Don't stand by the sides or the mines maybounce you off. And if you lose all of them, more will fill the tube so you cantry again.

Make your way to the elevator and take the mine back to Alyx. Hold it to herand she will make it friendly. Just drop it by the field and the mine will dothe rest. Then you are free to pass.

Take the open path to get back out to the canyon area. When you make a turn along the ledge you will see Combine out and about, but they don't harm you atthe moment. Crouch under debris to reach the bridge they came from and followit the way they came. Move the debris with your GG and be careful of the flamesin this room. Some energy thing will happen, but just keep going.

When you get to a rail, hop over to find a ledge. There will be a bridge notfar away, and if you look across you will see soldiers coming right for you. All you can do is watch. The only way to get across is by sprint past the energy vortex thing. Step a bit onto the bridge and as soon as you see the swirl of energy go away, hold down sprint and run. Stop and wait for your friend to join you and then proceed.

Keep following the path before you and hop over another rail when you hit it. Watch as the girl works on the computer. Something strange happens and then youguys will be on your way. Move along until you hit another confiscation roomwhere the GG is changed back to the way it was at the end of the last game. Collect it and move onto another load screen.

Move to another bridge, but you will have to turn this one on. Look down for some energy balls just hangin' around, and pick one up with the GG. Send it into the energy port below the bridge with the red light to be on your way. Cross the bridge, but you are stopped by fire and then some Combine appear. Suck them in with the gun and try to launch the bodies at the other guys, butyou will probably end up just sucking in all of them. Get off the bridge andlook left to find more coming from a fieldway and down a path on the side. After about nine or so they will all be gone.

Now go to the other inactive bridge and put energy orbs into each port. Go across and you get yet another round of Combine. This time they come from literally all sides; behind, front, the side, and up. Get the ones up high and then keep an eye on the few that come from your back as you take care of the ones coming from the left side field.

After that, go to the bridge and look down yet again. The port on the right isfine, but the one on the left is blocked by a shield. You have to send a ballat an angle to the spot just above the shield. You are trying to get the ballto hit the wall and then the shield and then bounce itself into the port. Afterthat is done, get across the bridge.

Follow the path until you see some kind of spark on the floor. Go around the corner and be anticipating some soldiers. Keep moving until you hit yet anotherpart of the canyon area. Go around the corner and when you hit a floor area that is clear, look right to see a lone soldier trying to shoot at you. Suckhim in and then a Dropship will come up and fly over you, so just watch whatit does.

Stay to the path after a while you find a opening in the wall that leads youto a door for Alyx to open. Go through, another spark on the ceiling, and thena load screen.

Move along to an elevator. Use the armor station to power up and then grab a ball to use on the port across the elevator. When you do the descent begins. Get to a side of the elevator and look up. There will be two objects falling tostart it off, then after a pause there is another. Your best bet is to barelypull at the things with the GG and then blast them away. May take a few tries.

Then you stop. No more falling sky for the moment. Instead, look across the wayto see another energy port behind some glass. Pull at the computer on the rightfrom afar to open a hole. Then turn around and grab a ball from the beams.Send it to the wall behind the hole so that it will bounce toward the port andhopefully right in; may take a few tries.

Then things get back to going, so look up. Just one falling sky item this timeand then another stop. There are two computers on each side of the wall-piecein front of the port, so move both. Then grab a ball and send it into the port. You should go down a bit, but then come back up. There is a Stalker in the room to the left that is messing with you. You must grab a ball and sendit into that area so that you take out the dude. There is an opening to the room on the left of the port, so angle in some orbs a few times and one will hit him. Then power up the lift and get going.

The lift begins to move very fast, so now you should look down in anticipationof the exit. When you get to the bottom you can look up to see something verybig start to fall. Just get off the elevator and onto solid ground. Turn aroundto watch the elevator get pummeled. Move through the sliding door to a load screen.

When you go through the next gate you run into a group of soldiers in a computer room. Those little bastards were busy trying to blow everyone up. After a bit of a scene, follow Alyx into the side room with a armor station.Take the elevator into the reactor room to get this thing over with.

Move into the big room and you will see two Stalkers on platforms across the way. Look up and grab some energy balls and send them at the enemies so thatyou can do your work; you can hold the ball right toward them and align the crosshair, they usually don't move fast enough.

Now activate the port above you, and then the one across from you to get the first bridge up. Then go across and activate the other port across the otherbridge to get it up. Go across and press a button to get all bridges pointingtoward the center platform. Go to it and take the ladder up. Get off and atthe top and go around the ledge to find a path on the wall.

Inside and toward a room you run into another group of Combine and more fromup above. Kill them and then go back outside to grab an energy ball. Take it back to the room and send it into the port. After you get this part of thecore stabilized, more soldiers drop in from above and the opened door on theside. They bring Manhacks, grenades, and their mean attitude to the fight. Keep moving, take out the soldiers first, and then grab the bots. Just grab aManhack and shoot it directly into the floor or wall to blow it up.

Go through the door after you recharge your suit and you hit a dead end. Pulloff the cover for a corridor and jump in. You need to move quickly and you needto avoid the coming orbs. Move left and right to avoid them and grab one if you are toward the end so you can quickly get out. Then go up the path until you hit another dead end. Blast off this cover and jump through for another tango with the Combine. Kill them and get back outside.

Follow the bridge toward the core, but watch yourself. You have a very slim path to get to the other bridge, and the core itself is pulsating. When it receeds, sprint across to the other bridge. On the wall is another path to a room with yet more soldiers waiting. Get the ones in the hall as they runto you and then get the ones from above in the room itself.

There is an orb in this room for you to use on the port, and there are alwaysmore outside. Another door opens up and you can hear more soldiers in the distance. Take the elevator up and then go down the hall and be ready formore enemies around the corner. Use the station on the wall and then move aheadto the core room. Then turn around and wait for two soldiers to try and sneakup on you.

The goal here is to get on the carousel above the core and follow the ride until you can jump onto the platform on the right. But when you jump onto oneof the four beams, get up to the top and jump to the next one against the flowand you should be able to get to the platform much quicker. You can then facethe oncoming Combine and get them out of the way, and then turn your attentionto the Manhacks. But if you want to spin around the ride for a while, that does work too, you just won't have anywhere to throw the bots.

Take the path until you hit another cover on the wall; blast it and hop throughit. Go to the end and hop through another hole to reach another corridor withmore flying balls (yes, I meant to say that). The way best way to get through this one is to move down one path and just blast the orbs as they fly toward you. You might take some damage, but if you keep moving you will make it to thepath at the end.

Blast off the cover and get ready for more soldiers in the room (be on your toes for energy balls fired from Pulse Rifles, those can be used against theCombine if you can react fast enough). When they are cleared, grab an orb fromthe broken glass on the wall and send it into the port. The machine will getstuck, but you can go down below to fix the problem. Go down there to findthat three energy stations are without their balls ... I mean energy. Look upnear them to find a crack in the ceiling that has the flying orbs from theprevious corridor. Grab two and shoot them into the stations. Grab one moreand go to the platform that will take you back up, then shoot the orb into thelast station (if you light up all three from down here, the lift won't take youback up, so you have to be on the lift).

Back up top, grab another orb and put it in the port. Then watch as everythingis back to squares. You lose all your beefiness though, for some reason, and then you can take the opened door right back to Alyx. You hear of some blackholes and revelations and then you watch a video clip. Run with Alyx to the safety elevator. Take it down to the train area and there is a load screen.

Go through the blast doors to a room where Alyx locks you guys in from the enemies. Two Roller Mines drop in, so grab both and let Alyx hack them. Set them down and wait for the door to open leading into the next room. The mines will take out the soldiers inside ... eventually.

Then you can go through and get on the train, but use the health station nearthe train before you step in. Turn on your flashlight if you must and get on.Just stand around and wait for you to crash. Crawl to Alyx after you do and pull the top of the Stalker-holder to get it off her. Then blast open the cover near her and jump down. Crawl through an opening to hit a load screen.

==================Chapter 3: Lowlife==================

After she is ready and opens the field, go through and hit the roadway whereyou run into your undead friends. The turrets on the ceiling are of no usebecause they have run out of bullets, so you and her have to clear the place.Use debris to kill the zombies, and toward the middle area you run into the mines, so pick them up to make them friendly, but they will kill the zombieseither way. Kill the ones around the trucks and then take the dark path onthe right. Follow it to a door and then look right and down to find a vent. Take off the cover and crawl through.

Grab some items across a gap, and one of them will be a flare that will lightyour path if you want. Keep going, take a ladder, and soon you find a ventcover. Below will be a Headcrab, so just blast down the cover to kill it, orhop down and use something to kill it. Go to the right corner of the room tofind a fence holding some good items behind it. Use the GG to pull them to you and through an opening in the corner of the fence. Get the Handgun and Shotgun and others, as well as some items in the lockers nearby. Then use thehandgun on the lock on the other side of a door on the other fence. On the leftwall is the power box to let Alyx through.

Go outside with the flashlight on. Look right and pick up a red gas tank and flinge it at the zombies with the GG. Then turn around and go get some ammoby a dead guy. Come back and keep going right. You will hit a car with somezombie bodies, and when you get close to the car the bodies will wake, so be ready. Find the hole in the wall on the road to keep moving. Go around the field of dead Antlions and then you hear some commotion. Use the GG to pick upa gas tank on the ground and send it into the fighting bugs and zombie, killany survivors.

Not far away is a train, so go inside and find a body of a new type of enemy(and where you hear the classic name Alyx gives them: Zombines). Soon, one onthe other side will blast open the path so you can get through. Grab the itemsin here and get back in the tunnel. Yes, now you will fight the Zombines inbattle. Use the GG to start with to send red barrels all over the place, thenfollow that up with some shotgun shells, but always stay close to Alyx so shecan help. Cautiously use the barrels so that none will blow up in your face.Move forward and keep on your toes for more undead from all directions. Pickup a flare from a car and set it down by the locked door if you need to catchyour breath and recharge your flashlight.

*NOTE: Zombines will sometimes pull an active grenade from their chest and run toward you. Either kill them quickly or try to pull the grenade and shootit away with the GG, or back away real fast.*

Move forward and you should run into some Barnacle tongues, so avoid them and find a door leading to a small room on the left side. Go in and use the powerbox to turn on the lights. Grab the items and look back to find more zombieson your tail; I just used the rocks on the ground to kill them. Run back to the locked door and go through and up the stairs. Have your gun ready for thepoison headcrabs up top: one in the stairway, and two more through the door.

Go up the path a bit until you see a car, a hole in the ground, and a gate inthe corner. Use the GG to blast the car over the hole to keep the Antlionsat bay, kill the one that may have got through. Then go to the turn-wheel bythe door and hold it down so you can go through. Two headcrabs will come out,so take care of them after the door is open. Go through and two more headcrabswill be along the path along with some items.

When you go through a fence you will notice the huge bunch of Barnacles covering up the path, and in the distance you will see a bunch of zombies coming down the way. Alyx will not to stopped from killing the Barnacles, butnot shinning your light will help some, or shine the light only on theBarnacles near you guys. Let the tongues catch the zombies, use barrels to kill the survivors, and let Alyx clear the path of Barnacles.

When you get to the corner, more Zombines will greet you. Blow up the barrelsat the right moment to get a few in one hit, and hit the barrels by the glasson the wall to get the others. When they are gone, go through the door and upthe stairs for a load screen.

In the next area you will see a bunch of Zombines rise and they will start fighting some Antlions. Shoot a gas tanks to take out one Zombine, then rundown the path to get into the open. Kill the Zombines and let Alyx take outthe bugs, you need to find the car in the center of the room and knock it overone of the three Antlion holes on the ground. When the middle one is lockedup, go up a beam to reach the second level. You will see another car in a holein the wall. Blast open the crate in the doorway nearby and get in so you canget the car out. Knock it out of the hole and down to the ground, then hopdown and push it onto the nearby bug hole.

*NOTE: You can use the GG to knock over Antlions for Alyx to blast, but at notime during this fight should you actually stop to fight bugs, unless you really have to.*

That leaves just one more. Go up to the second level and around the sides to find your third car behind a downed gate. Find a beam over the middle of the room that leads to the third level. When you get up here, go around and findanother beam that will lead you to the right side. Go through the opening onthe wall and drop down to the area with the car below. Wait for the Zombineto wake up and kill him, then go turn the wheel on the wall. When the gate isopen, quickly blast the car through and over the side where you can knock itover the last bug hole to make this area safe.

Now you can explore the room to find more items. In the room on the second level there are some grenades, and near the gate for the car there are some items too. Not much on the third level, so just get up there and turn the wheelon another gate to open up the path. Go through and take the stairs down. Youcan get off on the door, or you can do down a bit more to find a torso zombieand a crate.

Head through the door to enter a watery room. Move into the middle area and about four Zombines will rush from the front. When you get to the other side,more zombies from the front and back; be sure to use the barrels on your termsso that you don't get fried.

Proceed and you will hit a big room. This is called the Nightmare Room becauseit will haunt you long after you get through it, if you get through it. Startby turning around to find some items in the corner. Then go toward the lightwhere you should charge up your flashlight, you'll need all the juice you canget. After the lights go out, save the flares for later, just know they arethere. Go around the elevator to the right side to find some items in a corner. Grab what you can and send the rest toward the elevator with the GG,all for later.

Now make your way back to the elevator and this time go down the side of theroom you didn't come from (it's the side across the fence, just go straight).You will run into a lot of items and flares and exploding stuff. Don't spend too long exploring because there are enemies in the area. I suggest using the exploding stuff now so that it doesn't hurt you later. There is a cache of items behind a fence on the wall, and more stuff in a room at the back with aZombine (send a barrel at him before he gets up).

*NOTE: You want to throw items toward the elevator for easy grabbing later.*

When ready, find a door between both items stashes and removing a woodenboard holding the doors in place. When you open this door a Zombine will go suicide-bomber on you and pull out a grenade, so back away. Go inside and usethe power box on the wall to call for the elevator. Grab the items and quicklyget back to the elevator doors.

There is no set plan to get you through this without taking damage, so long asyou survive, you win. Turn around on the steps and look for the zombies. Blowup the exploding stuff nearby to take them out, but I highly urge against youusing the GG as a weapon here, or you'll end up with a lot of barrels blowingup in your face. Always look in every direction and use your hearing to knowif something is nearby. When a Zombine gets close and you hear that tickingsound, bail out and run in any direction, but be sure to come right back tothe steps. When you hear a shierking sound, that be the fast zombies, so takethem out quickly.

*NOTE: The only time to use the GG as a weapon will be early on, but after youflinge a couple of gas tanks, you should probably stop.*

A novel plan is to bail out to the area on the right side of the elevator, since the undead won't come from the side you are on. Everything goes smoothenough until your light goes dead. When this happens, just run to the middle area and pick up some health items, but don't wait for it to recharge all the way, just enough to get you by. You cannot just leave Alyx alone or you willlose her and you will fail. If you feel lucky, toss a grenade to a side of the doors to hopefully hit something. All you can do is keep your light on,keep shooting, and keep moving. When the elevator arrives, just run inside and this fight will be over.

=======================Chapter 4: Urban Flight=======================

After the entertaining ride up, run with Alyx. The gate is locked, but no worries. Turn around to find a wheel on the wall by another gate. Turn it andcollect the items in here. Blast away the boxes to find another wheel on theground in the corner. Pick it up and bring it back to the locked gate. Set itinto the red box on the wall and turn that sucka.

Go up to witness the state of the city - nothing a little duct tape won't fix.Listen to the doc for a while if you like and then head toward some metal sheets blocking the path. Pull them down and go through to run into some security bots, just pull them in and shoot them into the wall. Free up the pathand keep moving to see some Combine drop into the alley. Let them run into theraised area in the middle where you can use the gas tank to kill a few. Proceedto a moving wall of the citadel and run through when it moves.

*NOTE: Killing the previous soldiers is when you gained the SMG, so don't forget that you have it.*

More bugs in the next area, so you know the drill. Three bug holes and you getone medic to help. Just get to the cars and move them into place. When you head down the road you will see two zip lines where soldiers will rappel from,so be ready.

After all is calm, go toward the door at the end and move the boards in theway. If you can, peek through and toss a grenade inside, or grab something andthrow it into the red lasers to set the place on fire and eliminate the badguys.

With the flames going, you are in for one clever little puzzle. If you were notreading this, you might spend the half hour I first did figuring this one out. Grab the items in here and then go around the corner to find a see-saw. Now, the trick is to disregard the similar puzzles in the first game. Insteadof adding weight to the saw, just pick up the plastic box and set it under theright side of the rock so that the right end won't move when you step on it. If you understand that the object is to prevent the saw from moving by jammingsomething under it, you will quickly see what I mean. With the box in place,jump on, run to the end and jump to the ledge on the wall, and then turn offthe gas. Now come back to the front, pick up Alyx, and go up the stairs fora loading.

At the top you will see the full extent of zombie brainpower as one will walkdirectly into a trap. Then more will get up, but just avoid their projectilesuntil a Roller Mine drops in. Grab it and let Alyx convert it to the lightside. It will take care of the rest, so just collect the items. Don't run infront of the window because it's covered by a sniper. Sprint down to the stairsand go down a bit to see another roller for you to convert. Shoot it and the other one into the open where they will distract the sniper. Grab the items andquickly run to the side of the doorway.

When ready, sprint over to the cover a building to the right. You should tossa mine toward the side of the sniper so it can be a distraction, then you needto use the cover of the cars in the road (crouch), and then run to a doorwayon the left. From here you can run to the area with the turret and find someboxes of grenades in the back. Use the GG to get the grenades and send one upto the sniper. When he's gone, Alyx will join you.

*NOTE: A Dropship may drop more mines, so be ready. Also, one time an Antlionappeared from nowhere and attacked me - odd.*

She will take up point as you play decoy. Take the ladder when it's there andgo over. Go to the right just a bit to wake the sleeping zombies, then make a dash for the pit area in the road. Kill whatever gets close to you, but Alyx will handle most of the threats. Items in the room by the first barricade.

Then go into the room near the second barricade to get on path. There is a headcrab by a box soon after you enter. Keep moving and go up some stairs. Inthe walkway over the street, toss a grenade to the other side to take out thesleepers. Then use the GG to knock down all the planks on the left side so Alyx can have a clean shot. Go to the other side and bait the zombies aroundthe corner, or drop a grenade. Either way, run back to the walkway and let Alyx do some sniping, but watch out for the Zombines, you may have to runfrom side to side if you want Alyx to get them.

Proceed after a calm and drop down to the ground level, and don't miss all thecrates in this area of the building. When you go out into the streets, thereis a bug hole, a Combine barricade at the end, and a turret gunner in a post.Go pull down a metal sheet from the back of this post to give Alyx a clearread. Then push the car all the way over to the bug hole and seal it up. Nowsoldiers will constantly come from the barricade doors until you run through.So the best thing to do is lay low and wait until one guy is left and thenmake a sprint for the open doors, or just wait til the next group comes. Whenyou get through, clear out the enemies and wait for Alyx to start running toward you. Antlions will follow her, so take them out and all is well.

Look up to the tower to see that it's back to square one. Go into the buildingto hit a loading. Move along an have your shotgun ready when you go through a doorway; just four soldiers. Go into a storage room and look left for a PulseRifle and other items. Two health stations on one wall and more rifle ammoon another. Then sit back and watch the two locked doors for just four Combineto break through. The rifle will kill them quickly. After, stock up on suppliesand go out the left door to find the dark path with a lone enemy at the end.

Go up the steps and pick up each armor unit and drop it over so that you canhave more for later. When you drop down, get ready for a big fight. You willsee the Combine and that's all good, but soon an Antlion Guard will show up.Let the Combine stick around as long as they can as you use the red barrels toget in some damage on the big guy. When it's just you and him, and Alyx and more Antlions, lure him around to the other red barrels and shoot those toget in big damage. Ignore the little guys and try to stay around the buildingyou came from so Alyx can help, but don't forget that you have a lot of spacein this area. Just use the Pulse Rifle, then shotgun, then SMG on the guardand it will fall in no time. Don't forget to lure him to charge into walls, youremember that from the first game, right?

When the big guy falls it's just you and the little ones, and more Combine. Cover the two bug holes around the corner as quickly as you can, then get readyfor more Combine to come from their barricade and also from up high. Kill themand go through, but if you need some supplies don't hesitate to go back a bitand scope out the previous area for stuff (don't miss the SMG crate if youwant full ammo by the start area).

When ready, jump into the pit and follow it. I say shoot the red barrels and then duck for cover, or just grab the mine behind the barrels before it blowsand takes you with it. Find the vent and then take it. When you can turn rightand go up a ladder do so. When you can see some items at the end, stop. Use the GG to pull those items to you (if you go too close you will fall back towhere Alyx waits and she will say, "Back so soon?" in that snobby manner). Then go back and follow the main vent down until it falls and reveals some laser traps.

*NOTE: Where you hit the ladder in the previous vent, if you look way up youwill see a health pack if you need it.*

Don't go out. Look up to find a vent cover that you can grab with the GG, butdon't shoot it or you will probably die. Just grab it and move it to a new spot on top of the vent and then stand up. You better save now in case of theworst. The best thing I could do was grab one of the red barrels that was not touching a laser and pull it to me (careful not to grab it and hit a laser inany way). I placed it by the bunch of red barrels near the vent, then I steppedon the first one, then on the one I placed, and from this one I just jumpedover the highest set laser and into the elevator. Another way would be to just sprint into the elevator as quickly as you can.

Either way, the elevator drops into the water and you will have to bust opena hatch to get out and swim back up for air. You now have some interesting things to do from down here. Let's handle the bottom room first. There are two ways to get to the items in this room. You could ride the Barnacle tongueup a bit and then fall to a ledge on the same level as the previous laser-trapped room. Here you will find a vent that leads you directly to the itemsin a small room with a headcrab as company. Or you could touch a laser and real quick like fall back into the water. Either way or neither way, your choice.

*NOTE: If you ever lose all the Barnacles and have no other way to get upto the mission-related vent, you will have to go through the bottom room (justjump in and jump out to take out the lasers), hop through the window, and follow this vent to the level of the ladder. Just jump to the side ledge andthen to the ladder side.*

Now there is the matter of continuing the mission. For this you must get to a vent at the very top. You can ride a tongue up there, or you can get to the same level as the last room, and the last vent, and then take a ladder up tothe top from where you will jump down a bit to the vent. Follow it to a ventcover over a laser-filled room. No need to worry about being blasted, just pop off the cover and sit back a bit as the explosions go off. Drop down and grab the three mines in here to make them friendly. Then turn on the power viathe box on the wall. Move ahead for a loading.

Go into the next room with your pistol in hand. Peek around the corner and shoot a barrel just enough so that it starts to light, then back away as the room gets cleared. Go in and disarm the mine in the corner with your GG. Collect the supplies and then go around the corner and look up some stairs. Have your SMG in hand and stand back just enough so that you can see the door.When it opens, shoot the red barrel inside before it is thrown to you, and then clean out the survivors.

Collect the supplies in here and grab the Crossbow on the shelf in the back. Look up in the corner for a green light on a plug. Pull it out to free up thepath down the steps. Go down and take that path to get back outside.

Three Combine greet you, so kill them and avoid their grenades tosses. Grab theitems behind a fence on the right and then go down the street. More Combine atthe other end and around the corner. When you hear a ticking, look to the veryend of this street to see more coming from a door. Go over to this spot after it is cleared to pick up the Rocket Launcher among others. Maybe some more inthe area as you come back a bit to find a friendly in a crevice who has opened up the path. Go through.

Follow him and when he drops off a side, look behind this edge to find somecrates. Jump over and follow him to a door and through for some good laughs. If you go through the doorway and look to the right wall for the STORAGE sign,open the door for yet another laugh; that makes three! Pull the TV off the socket so that it shuts up.

Go up the stairs and to the top until the way gets blocked. Open the nearby door and be ready for two Zombines. Keep moving until you hit an open lookingroom, but no matter what you will have to fall through the floor and into a zombie pit. Blast away the ones near you and get to a safe corner, then youcan use the GG to smash the others, or use the crossbow. Then move the debrisby the door and go through. In this small room you can look down through a crack in the floor and peep in on some juicy conversation. Open the next doorand get back up to the room with the broken floor. Just hug the side to getacross, and a Zombine is waiting by the doorway.

*NOTE: You may be able to avoid the zombie pit, but you have to jump to the left side of it; but then you miss the scare and the conversation.*

*NOTE: I ran into another funny bit. When I rejoined Alyx and brought her semi-back down to the second level, she ran back down to the ground and told the others, "I wouldn't recommend using the stairs," and then she rejoined me. It'sjust funny because it wasn't expected.*

Follow the path and you are reunited with Barney, and everyone loves Barney.After a scene, Barney at long last gives you the Crowbar, it's just too bad anyuse was lost after you got through the early parts. Oh well, cross the bridgeand get moving. At the foot of the stairs will be some crates and when you goup your will find one headcrab. At the top you hit a room full of the things,so just toss in a grenade. Two Zombines are on the roof outside, so take themout of let them go after the Combine across the bridge. You can take them outand run, or you can handle the other guy that pops up to the right. Now you are in a hospital building so you must hit a load screen.

Keep moving until you hit a big hallway with undead and soldiers going at it.Let them mess with each other for a while and the Gunship outside will also beat work. When ready, hug the right wall to avoid the ship and move forward. There is a room on the side at the end of the hall, but it's empty, so justkeep going forward. Smash some crates and get to the room for a showdown.

The Gunship fight in the attic will be tough, but you have an infinite stashof rockets in a crate in the right corner. You must first know that the wholeplace is liable to fall apart, so anything shot at will break; this means theroof and floor. You can let the Gunship have all the fun of breaking the placeapart, or you can speed up the process by taking out parts of the roof, butthat means less cover for you, but you also need to get a clear shot on theship - pick your poison.

The fight is simple, more or less an memory in the game. Just avoid falling through open floor and take your shot when it's through an open section ofroof. I hope you do know that you launch a rocket, keep the laser dot on theship, and the rocket will get there; and that the ship may try to shoot down the rocket, so play smart. Just keep firing and keep reloading and after fivehits the fight is over. Collect the supplies and use one last rocket on the ground level door when some soldiers try to break in. Proceed.

When you see a box, grab it with the GG and pull it out of the way. Then pullup the mine that was behind it. Go to the corner and then pull at the box bythe fence to set off the laser traps. Alyx will upgrade to a boomstick and then she opens the field. Move along and when the music cues you know somethingkickass is about to happen. Alyx will be surgical with the shotgun as you movealong, ignore the rooms on the side. When some doors blow open, just sit backand watch and Combine and undead coexist in perfect harmony; then blast away whichever side wins the fight. Go through and you will run into more this fighting. Kill the surviving side and collect the supplies before moving onwardto the station.

Nearby is a surgery room and a zombie locked behind a door on the other side.When you go into the surgery room he will bust out, so be ready. Health inhere and then you will notice some fighting in the nearby hallway. Go outand watch as more of the eternal struggle unfolds before you. Go to the leftto find a mine that you can plant in the center for mucho damage. Start killingthe Combine after a while or until they notice you and finish up the fighting.

Go to the end of the hall and enter a small room where the ceiling will falland drop some headcrabs; clear it out if you desire the crate inside. Collectany supplies and keep moving. Kill the zombies lying around in the longuearea on the left, then notice the group on the other side of a door. You can'tgo throug, so check out the other rooms down the hall. The one on the left hasa free crate; the one on the right has two soldiers, so explore both. Then come back to the door to have it open. toss over a grenade and then use an SMGgrenade to finish off the remainder, or however. Then go through.

Drop down a hole to fall into the water below. Swim under and to some steps.Get up and blast the headcrab here, and then the other in the small room nextto you. Then follow the walkway to and over the water to a corner where youwill pick up a blue barrel. Grab it and turn to find more tongues in your way.Get the barrel directly to the other side of the room. Do you see the walkwaythat slightly sinks in the water when you step on it? Get the barrel and placeit under this walkway.

Now go to the support column nearby and flip the switch. The water is now lava,and lava hot. You need to jump from the floating walkway to the platform by the sparking power box. But there be Barnacle tongues in your way. You couldturn off the power, jump into the tongue in your way, and then kill the beast,or you could just toss a grenade into the tongue and be done with it (be sureto aim the crosshair slightly to the left). From the middle platform, look right and jump on the broken pillar connected to some pipes. More tongues will drop obstructing the pipes on the right, so take the ones on the left, andbe sure to crouch for better balance. From here you can jump onto a broken walkway connected to the small room. Then jump through the window, step as farto the right and top of the stairs as you can, and then you are free to exitthrough the open door.

Go up and onto the level of the Barnacles. Collect the crates and move along towait for Alyx to drop in. Then go through the door and past a bloody scene.Stop at an edge above some headcrabs. Get right to the edge and wait for themto jump at you so you can blast them. Grab the items across the gap beforejumping down and set anything you want to the area down below if you want itafter the coming fight. Save, have your best gun ready (Pulse Rifle), and thendrop down.

Quickly dispatch the Carrier zombie down here before he tosses too many headcrabs. Kill the ones he does and then go grab a mine off the shelf. Set itby the doors on the right. Then go grab another and go to the left, but just set this one over the crack in the window to try and take out the other Carrier. Kill his headcrabs and do the same thing with the last mine (if youcan manage to toss them through the window, that's great). If you pull this off, save and get ready for a big group to come through the right side doors.

Get rid of them in a hurry (Pulse Rifle energy ball, the alt fire), and thenprepare for group two from the left. There may also be some stragglers on theright side when you go through, so be ready. When it's all clear, head out andfollow the hallway to the right. Down the path you will see some zombies get only to get taken out by automatic fire.

Sprint over to the left side and look down the hall. Use the GG to pull out themine closes to you and then set it back in the ground. What you will do is sprint over to the cover of the wall on the right wall, then you will turn around and go back to the start as zombies pour from a nearby room. A Zombine,then zombies, then a fast zombie, and all the while you have more mines and the turrets after you. When that's over with, get back to the right wall cover,and from here sprint into the room.

Grab the items in here and then peek around the corner to grab more mines. Setthem up in the hall and in the room. When you go after the third one you willget more undead. This is a good time to use the crossbow and retreat back intothe room. After this group is gone, sprint over to the room they came from.

From here you can grab one mine, but you can get right next to the field and pull out a green plug to disable the field and the turrets. Then grab the lastmine and get to moving to hit a load screen.

==================Chapter 5: Exit 17==================

Move out to the open to meet up with Barney. Follow him and you will have thetask of escorting lots of citizens from point A to point B. You start in an empty building where you pick up one group of people. Lead them to the oppositebuilding across the parking lot, and take note of the rocket crate among the cars. Go through the building, taking note of some health under a table, and then into a train garage. Lead your team to the other side, around the frontend of the train and go past a turret and through a door to reach the safe zone. Stock up on health in the locker area, then go to the room at the end tounload your group, and also find the Magnum on a crate. Easy enough, justgetting a feel for the route. Now go back to point A.

When you get to the garage area, Alyx will be manning the turret, so go backalone. You should run into some Manhacks in the garage, so deal with them. Whenyou reach the parking lot, you will run into two more hacks and then some mines will be dropped around you. Take out the hacks and then use your GG topull up all three mines. Place them up the street a bit around the ramp leading to the road with force fields on both sides. Now will also be a goodtime to scope out this area. Grab all the red barrels and gas tanks and placethem away from the cars, because you don't want them blowing up when you arehiding in the parking lot later. Find a crate in a dumpster, another in a car,and then three more in a truck by point A. When you get a bunch of health packs, lay them out around the lot area so that you can easily grab them when on the run later.

Now go into the building to pick up another group. You only get a few, and remember that you can move them around, but there is no need really, just letthem follow you. When you go through the parking lot, some soldiers show up inthe taller buildings up the slope. Use the crossbow if you like and make eachshot count. You should have no troubles as your friends provide good support. After the first group there will be two more to rappel from the rooftops, soget them and then move into the garage.

Just four Combine from the window above when you hit the garage area. Kill themquickly or they will scatter. Don't forget to get close to your medic if youtake health damage. Go to the turret by Alyx and that should be all; you cango to the room where the group stops at if you need the rifle ammo, but otherthan that you are free to go back. When you move beyond Alyx, two bad guys appear in the window above, so just let her take care of them. Remember this for later, that this side of the garage is covered by support fire.

Move through the garage quickly and take out the shotgun soldiers as they dropin from the window and get back out to the parking lot. Quickly hide behind thedumpster as you see a blue sniper laser scoping you out. There are two more mines near this dumpster, so try to tug at them without getting spotted. Thesniper is in the highest window on the tall building. You can sprint from coverto cover on your way to the foot of this building, and from there just line up your grenade crosshair with the window to toss one up there. Grab the minesif didn't already and then go to get more people.

Crossing through the lot will cause just two soldiers to appear by the buildingarea. Deal with them and get to the garage. A rifle soldier will drop the traincar nearby and force you to take the upper walkway. Kill him and then find theramp on the right wall to get up there. As you walk to the other side of theroom, two soldiers drop on top of the other train car. Kill them and drop downto the ground and take your people to Alyx to get them safe. Heal up and thenget ready to head back.

Wait for two shotgun dudes to drop in and let Alyx take them out. Then run tothe downed train, find the steps to get on the walkway, and then hop over andinto the small safe room before the lot. If you'll notice, the lockers in herewill provide some crossbow bolts. Don't run out into the parking lot, justpoke outside the door and try to snipe the Combine among the cars with yourcrossbow. Watch out for their grenades, because they toss quite a few. Just stay on the steps here and watch your back for shotgun dudes to come from thegarage. There are quite a few soldiers after you, and there is also a APC vehicle by the buildings. Kill the soldiers first. The best way to get the APCis to stay on these steps, launch out a rocket into the open, and then pop outto quickly place the laser on the enemy vehicle. Do this about three or so times and the thing will blow. Go to the enemy territory to find items, and don't forget that you can use as many rockets as you need to one the survivors.

Return to the start point to grab another group. Crossing the lot should justmean the spawning of two soldiers, and you should only waste two rockets and then restock. In the garage you will hear a ticking. Look to the door under thewalkway to see the bomb. Launch a rocket right before it goes off and you willget the group in one hit, or maybe you'll need two rockets. Then go up theramp to run into two more shotgun guys. Get across the walkway fast and jump off before more shotgun guys show up. Stop near Alyx and wave your squad through.

Turn around and make your way back to the room before the parking lot. Come out to run into more men waiting for you. Use your supply of rockets if youlike, but the goal is to clear a path back to the starting point.

Pick up the final group and cross the lot one last time. More soldiers to spawnand this time some will try to rush you guys from the back, so be ready. Moveinto the garage and take out the guys in here on your way to Alyx's side. Justrun and jump on the turret when she gets off early so you can take out the pursuing enemies. Kill them and run with your people to the safe room and theload screen.

You and the others will part ways. Say your goodbyes and follow the path Alyxsets you on. Get to the end of the fenced path and find a turn wheel and startturning. Alyx will make it to safety, but you don't get so lucky. Hide behindthe metal sheet when the Strider shows up and just wait for him to blast opena container. Run through to the other side. Get to the opening in the fence tosee it blocked by debris and then some soldiers drop in, but they get cut downby their own. Just move the blockage, run around the corner to avoid the barrels, and get into the dark container. Grab the items in here, there is alsoa health station on the wall outside, and then get ready to run.

Go out and go up the path to the right and up to a higher level. Go down the walkway and enter another dark container with more debris. A blast will knockthe stuff out of the way, so just get out, but be ready for the lone headcrabon the other side. Follow the red containers and go to the left to hide in anarea with a crate. Look to over the gap to see a suit pack and a broken bot.You need to jump there and then go up the top of the container that is slanted(the same one you walked up moments ago), and from there get on the top levelof this container area.

When you are on top of the highest red containers, look to the left to see a walkway along the wall. Run along the containers and jump up to this walkway.Look down the way to see some barrels being dropped, and you should then quickly use the GG to blast the boxes over to the stationary barrels before they are set on fire and launched into you. When that is over, heal up and getready to run some more.

First, zoom down the walkway to see a mine in on the floor; this means you can't just run all the way. Notice that there are two points on the sides whereyou get small metal sides on the railing that you can crouch behind. Run and duck behind the first one and look up through the hole to see the dude that was tossing down the barrels. Kill him and then crawl over to the other metalsiding with the GG in hand and pull on the mine as soon as it turns red. Grab it, hide behind the metal, and set down the mine. You might want to save here.

Around the corner will be more mines, but the metal sides will be removable.Just stay crouched and crawl along the walkway as you pull on the mines, andbe extremely careful not to pull at a metal sheet. Now stop and notice thatthe walkway was destroyed by the beast. You will have to run and jump off theend of the walkway and onto an area below. When you do you only have secondsto grab the three crates, but you must stay away from the container because theStrider will start to pound it toward you. Quickly grab the crates and then goaround the container and hop down to a fenced path on the ground before you get smushed.

In this pathway, a container will fall as two soldiers drop, but they will getblown up. What you need to worry about are the two falling barrels that willroll toward you. Just step back as far as you can, or get close to them as theyroll down and quickly pop them away, your choice. Hug the right fence as you move and the beast should not hit you. You will find two mines in the ground,so grab them to make the path safe. When you get toward the end, look left tofind an opening along the train. Run, jump, and jump onto the other side of the train station and hide in safety.

You may have to duck at times. Go over to the crates, get the items, and thensave. Look to the wall to find a ladder. Run to it and quickly get up and thencrouch behind some metal sheets near some rockets. You now need to bring the Strider down. Stay crouched and just pop out during the lulls in the beast's fire to get a hit in. Retreat and repeat using up all of what should be your six rockets. When you run out, sprint over and crouch behind the other metalsheets by the remaining stash of rockets. You can't stay behind one metal sheet forever, so you may need to stand and you will need to run to other cover. You should need about six or so rockets, and you will probably miss a few times, but that is okay. And if you really must, jump over the other endof the walkway to find some crates down here, but you shouldn't need to.

After the Strider is dead, take the other ladder down and use the crates if you must (you don't need anything else though). Alyx tells you to jump on thetrain, and by this she means get on the very back platform near across from thecomputer. Get on and she will get on and then you just sit back and enjoy thepleasant ride into the countryside. End Episode One, and stick around to watcha trailer for Episode Two, even though that after playing Episode Two, it isclear now that the trailer isn't all that true (the trailer is PC only and noton the Orange Box).

Here are all the weapons you use in the game. Don't forget, most guns have an alt fire.

Pistol------Just your basic handgun. Has a lot of ammo in one clip, so that helps. A solid fall-back weapon if you need it.

Magnum------This thing is perhaps one of the better guns you have. It's usually a one-hit kill on the smaller enemies. It has a decent range when you need it, butthe limited ammo hurts.

Crossbow--------The sniper rifle of the game. You only get one bolt a clip, so each shot is crucial. The time it takes the bolt to fly will sometimes cause a miss, sojust make sure your shot is right on.

ALT: Zoom

SMG---This gun will pour bullets into targets, but the accuracy is bad; you will basically unload an entire clip on one enemy just to get a kill.

ALT: Grenade, a valuable tool that will explode on contact

Shotgun-------Your basic boomstick. Use it at close range for ultimate effect, and it doeshave a decent range for a distance. Great against all enemy types.

ALT: Fire two shells

Pulse Rifle-----------Rather than a human machine gun, this is a Combine rifle with the same effect.The only downside is that you chew through the ammo in a hurry.

ALT: Energy ball, the bane of Hunters

Grenade-------Simple enough. Toss, stand back, and then there's a loud bang. You can hold five at a time, so don't be afraid to use one on big groups.

ALT: Drop it in front of you, rather than tossing it

Rocket Launcher---------------The most powerful gun you get. Shoot where you lay the laser beam and the rocket will follow the dot.

Crowbar-------The classic melee weapon of Half-Life. Use it to smash wooden planks and crates. If you have to use this for an actual weapon, you got problems that are beyond my skill to fix.

Gravity Gun-----------The X-Factor of the game. Aside from the puzzle-solving aspect, using this gun as a weapon will be critical for big fights. If you have big objects likerocks and barrels and saw blades, pick them up and send them into the bad guys.Gas tanks and flammable barrels should be used at perfect times, otherwise you'll have them blow up in your face for various reasons.

Zombies-------A simple undead enemy, but in the Half-Life universe these guys have headcrabson their lids. The headcrab is the spot you want to aim for. Once the zombieis down, there is a chance the headcrab will stay alive, so keep an eye on itafter it falls off.

There are three other types beside the regular, white t-shirt sort. There arefast zombies, and they are the loud ones without skin. Don't be intimidatedby this type because they usually only need two shotgun shells to the head.

There is the headcrab-carrying type. This kind will be dark, hunched over, andcovered with poison headcrabs. It attacks by tossing the crabs toward you, andit has a pretty long range. These guys take a lot to kill off.

The final type is the Zombine. These guys new to the Half-Life universe. Yourun into them fairly early and you are demonstrated of their abilities at thattime. I'll just say that these guys are stronger versions of normal zombies, but they also grow tired of un-life, because they pull out active grenades and charge toward you. You can knock out the grenade and pick it up with the GG (note that whenever you pick up any grenade with the GG it will reset the timer).

Antlions--------These are basically big bugs. The smallest, regular type is fast and can glidethrough the air. You need to backpedal as you blast them with shotgun shells.

In this game the Antlions emerge from burrows in the ground. You will alwayshave the required number of ruined cars nearby to cover each hole. Just find the cars and blast them onto the holes with the GG and the bugs go away.

You will also run into an Antlion Guard in the game. Use the red barrels, runin circles, and ignore the little bugs when you fight him. Also try to get him to ram into walls to stun him and don't forget your sprint button to outrun him.

Combine-------The Combine take the longest to show up in their proper form, just like Episode Two; true, you do fight them early, but that was with your enhanced Gravity Gun.

Manhacks are bots that fly around and try to slice into your health. They don't pose the biggest threat in the game and you don't run into many, so justrun backward, pull out your GG, grab them, and then launch them into a hardsurface.

Striders are the biggest of the bigs. You only get one for this game, and it'sa very pleasant fight compared to other Strider run-ins. Just get through themaze of containers and use the rocket launcher to get about six rockets intothe thing.

The helicopter is only fought once. Let the roof crumble and then get clearshots with the laser-guided rockets. It's actually the easiest of the three"bosses" (Strider, Copter, and Guard).

Other-----Not many other enemies in the game. You have your Barnacles that hang out tongues from a ceiling to grab you. Put something in these tongues to distractthe things, or just shoot them. If you ever stop and start raising off the ground, it's not magic, it's a Barnacle.

Perhaps the headcrabs count as a seperate type. They crawl on four legs and they leap to attack you. You get three flavors: normal, fast, poison. Use theshotgun when these things are about your feet, and use the pistol when you are a distance away and out of their range.

If you got a really good idea, you might end up here. If you are TRYING to get here, you probably won't.

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FAQ's

This little section will address questions I keep getting, if any.

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Please contact me if you need any help, if you want to praise me, if you wantto talk, or if you want to ask a question. And if you must send a flame, pleasebe nice so that I'll consider it. Also, if you have a cool trick or comment that you want me to add to this guide, good luck, I don't accept just anything.You will have to present it well and I will have to like it a lot!

Please have 'Half-Life 2' in the title.

My email:

lunatic_252000@yahoo.com

PS - If I don't respond, don't take it personally, but there is most likely a good reason (lazy, heard it a million times, it's stupid, etc).

All other sites must ask permission if they want this. All I ask is that theguide be ad-free and in this text format.

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Here is my website: (just as it's written here)

www.thechaosuniverse.com

You'll find all my other guides here too. I know I don't update it enough, butI would if more people show up... And sorry for how it looks, something weirdthat I can't fix as of now.

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